SMPTE 2018 Annual Tech Conference, Expo Open For Registration

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The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has opened registration for the SMPTE 2018 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition (SMPTE 2018) Oct. 23-25. SMPTE 2018 will be held at a new venue: the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles.


Registration is also open for the SMPTE 2018 Symposium, an all-day session that will precede the technical conference and exhibition on Oct. 22. This year’s Symposium is titled “Driving the Entertainment Revolution: Autonomous Cars, Machine Intelligence, & Mixed Reality.” Early-bird rates for both SMPTE events are available now through Aug. 4; hotel group rates are available through Sept. 28, or until sold out.

“With our shift to a more expansive downtown location, we’re able to offer more of what makes our annual conference unique and valuable,” said SMPTE Executive Director Barbara Lange. “From start to finish, day and night, SMPTE 2018 will offer numerous learning occasions and provide attendees with more opportunities to explore technology exhibits, to network with other industry professionals at events, and to sit down with colleagues for food, drink, enlightenment, and entertainment.”

The SMPTE Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition is the world’s premier forum for the exploration of media and entertainment technology. Registration for SMPTE 2018 will include the keynote presentation, access to the exhibition hall and all conference sessions, lunch each day of attendance (a new addition!), and evening events including the popular Oktoberfest Reception (Tuesday) and Trick or Treat Spooktacular (Wednesday). SMPTE 2018 will conclude with Thursday’s SMPTE Annual Awards Gala, available at an additional charge.

Two SMPTE Fellows co-chair the SMPTE 2018 technical conference program committee: Thomas Edwards, vice president, engineering and development at Fox, and SMPTE Education Director Sara J. Kudrle, product marketing manager for playout at Imagine Communications.

Technical conference sessions will address topics such as ultra-high definition (UHD); wide color gamut (WCG) and high-dynamic-range (HDR) management; workflow management; cloud and virtualized media processing; content management and storage, restoration, and preservation; over-the-top (OTT) media distribution; quality and monitoring of images and sound; new compression techniques and implementations; advances in display technologies; machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) technology; IP-based media transport and workflow; and fostering greater inclusivity in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Michael Zink, vice president of technology at Warner Bros., will chair the daylong SMPTE 2018 Symposium, which will not only focus on the state of emerging technologies related to the media and entertainment industry, but also explore potential applications and exciting content opportunities afforded by these new technologies.